With its first full-length release, South Fork Sound welcomes Self Evident from Vancouver, BC. Covering a handful of styles without sounding formulaic, Self Evident offers a healthy perspective on his versatility. Whether melding influences from ragga, footwork, funky house, foundational dubstep or jungle, the results present a refreshingly original perspective on the roots from which they came. The rhythms within SFS0004 seek to stand firm as a cohesive long-player, while also shining alone.
Leading off the album with “Go Down Low,” Self Evident works to hypnotize the listener with a pulsing ragga rhythm and synths reminiscent of ancient snake-charmer melodies. A fondness for ragga vocals is most clear on the footwork experiments of “More” and “Birth of Light.” It’s also an understanding of space that shines, floating hollow synths in between stuttering toms, slowed breaks, and chopped vocals. Those hollow synths come to the forefront on “Treat Me Right,” calling to club hip hop sounds pitted against pitched up vocals and filtered breaks. Menacing rhythms calling to the urgency of vogue descend out of alluring garage vocal play on “Calgary.” Hypnotizing chords drone into a slow to burn big funky house beat on “Ray of Hope.” Further enforcing his versatility, with “Want Freak” Self Evident flexes a clear intention alongside tantalizing synth stutters, until the jarring big & broken beat executes those intentions. For the lone collab, “Offhand,” Self Evident enlists fellow Vancouver artist Max Ulis and the two explore the space a proper sound system can provide. Continuing the 140 tip with “Stripper Pole” & “Loving You (It Gets Rough),” he showcases his own understanding of this space, swirling engulfing kicks against glistening percussion and lush synthscapes.
Mastering by Greg Heffernan
Artwork by Ben Ulis